Attachment for meat-slicing machines.



E. M. STILES.

ATTACHMENT FOR MEAT sucme MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I8. 19I2.

Patented July 25, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I wwm.

'E. M. STTLES.

ATTACHMENT FOR MEAT SLICING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 18, 1912.

l 9 T 92, 1 Q Patented July 25, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

war L166 fawn/2;? a iiw E. M. STILES.

ATTACHMENT FOR MEAT SLICING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 0011a, 1912.

1,1 2,0 1 A, Patented July 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

vi: TED s'rnrns PATENT @FFICEE EDWARD M. STILES, OF MOUNT PLEASANT, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO S. SLICING- MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

ATTACHMENT FOR MEAT-SLICIN'G MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25,1916.

Application filed October 18, 1912. Serial No. 726,459.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be t known that I, EDWARD M. $T 1LEs, a citizen of the United States, reslding at Mount Pleasant, in' the county of Henry and State of Iowa, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Attachments for Meat-Slicing Machines, of whlch the following isa specification.

This invention relates to improvements in attachments for slicing machines, particularly adapted, though not necessarily lim-' ited in its use, to meat slicing machines of the type in which the meat is supported upon a table and fed to a cutter, the cutter and table being relatively movable to effect the cutting operation.

One of the objects of the inventlon is to provide an improved attachment of this class having means for automatlcally collecting and stacking the slices as they are cut, and thereby obviate the necessity of gathering the slices by 1 hand and stacking them.

A furtherobject is to provide an improved device of this class which will be simple, durable, cheap and compact n construction, and effective and efiicient in operation.

To the attainment of these ends. and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear the invention 'consists in the features 0 novelty in substantially theconstruction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described'and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings, exemplifying the invention and in which Figure 1 is a topplan view-of an im-- proved deviceof this class, constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention, showing the same applied to a slicing machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1, and with the parts in the position they will assume when'they are receiving the slice from the cutter and when the slice is about to be dumped from' the receiver to the collector. Fig. 3 is a detail front elevation of the slice engaglng face of the receiver and the fly, and as taken on line 33', Fig.f2. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view a's' taken on line 44, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5-is a view similar to Fig. 2, of-another form of the invention. Fig. 6 isa detail seetable is adaptedto be effect a cutting operation, while the meat is about an upright aXis tional view taken on line 6-6, Fig. 5. Fig.

7 is a detail view of the tripping cam shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a detail view in elevation as' taken on line 8-8, Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is a top plan view of one of the receiving surfaces shown in Fig. 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, and inthe' present exemplification of this invention, the numeral 10 designates a rotary cutter and 11 a meat supporting table for holding the meat tobe sliced, which reciprocated so as to advanced laterally upon the table, with respect to the cutter in the ordinary and well known manner. c

Arranged adjacent to the cutter 10 is a horizontally disposed receiver designated generally by the reference numeral 12, havng receiving surface/s13, which, in the present exemp'lification of this invention are curved or semiclrcular, arranged ad acent each end of'the receiver and are inclined up-.

wardly from the receiver and in directions from the extremities ofthe receiver toward the axis of. rotation of the receiver. The

shaft 17, journaled in a suitable bearing and a gear 18 is also connected with the shaft, which latter gear meshes with the gear 19 on the shaft 20, the'latter receiving motion from any suitable source.

The surfaces 13 of the receiver may be spaced'from each other any suitable distance and arranged adjacent the path of rotation of the receiver is a support, dem'gnated generally by the reference numeral 21- upon which is arranged an inclined collector sup port 22,.the latter being preferably curved and provided witha series of teeth 23. The receiver has a circular path of movement and a constant direction of rotation, while the adjacent edge of the support 21 is concaved to permit the edge of the receiver .and curved receiving surfaces 13 to move in close proximity thereto. Arranged also with relation to the collector support 22 is a fly designated by the reference numeral 24.

This fly is provided with spaced fingers 25 and the fingers are offset with respect to the body portion of the fly as at 26, shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 2 for a purpose to be set forth. This fly is pivotally supported by means of a horizontal axis 27, preferably in the form of an axle, and is pivoted to the support 21, and an elastic member 28, preferably in the form of a spring coiled about the axle 27 is provided which tends normally to move the fly in a direction away from the collector support 22. The faces 13 are con- 'structed so as to form spaced slice engaging portions, 29 as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, each of which portions is provided with teeth 30 adapted to. penetrate the slice as it is cut and thereby receiveit from the cutter and hold it in position until it is deliver'ed to the collector support 22 by the fly 24-. Thefingers 25 of the fly are also curved as shown in Fig. 1 to conform to the contour of the surfaces 13 and are so'spaced from each other that as the receiving surface advances toward the fly after having received the slice, the fingers will pass into the spaces between the slice engaging portions 29 of the receiving surface to pass beneath the.

slice The ofl set portion 26 of the fly permits the fingers 25 to enter the spaces between the portions 29 of the receiver to pass beneath the slice and prevents the fin-' gers from striking the ends of the portions 29.

The fly may be tripped against the tension of the elastic member 28 in any desired or suitable manner, and for this purpose there may be provided an arm 31 which is connected with the fly and which projects therefrom in a direction to-wardthe axis of rotation of the receiver. Carried with the receiver are cams 32, one of which is provided for each of the surfaces 13 and are so arranged that the arm 31 of the fly projects into the path of movement of the cams when they are rotated by the movement of the receiver. The cams are so arranged that just about the time the receiving surface registers with the fly and the collector support 22, one of them will engage the arm 31 of the fly torock the latter against the tension of the elastic member and thereby cause the fin gers of the fly to lift the slice from the receiving surface and deliver it to the collector support 22 and against the slice previously deposited. The cam face which engages the arm 31 may be of any desired length so that it'will act on the arm to hold the fly in the tripped position if desired, or it may be a short cam which passes immediately out of engagement with the arm as soon as the fly is tripped and the slice delivered. Ob-

viously, the cams may be adjustably secured to the receiver so that they may be properly positioned, or so that the time of their engagement with the fly arm may be varied. In order to accommodate for the increasing sizeof the stack of slices that are delivered to the collector support, the latter is preferably adjustably. mounted with respect to the support 21. 'This may be accomplishedby means of the tongue and groove connection 33 34, see Fig. 4, and the connection is such that there may be suflicient friction between the collector support 22 and the support 21 to hold the former in position to receive the slice and then permit it to be moved with respect to the support 21 a distance substantially equal to the thick= ness of the slice being delivered thereto, by the fly. A guard 35 may also be provided adjacent the cutter 10 which cooperates with the receiving surface to direct the slice to the surface.

In the forms of the invention shown in Figs. 5 to 9, the receiving surfaces 36 depend from the bottom of the receiver 12 and these surfaces are provided with slots or openings 37 to form the spaced slice engaging portions 38, the latter being provided with teeth 39 similar to the teeth 30. The slots 37 extend. in a direction lengthwise of the axis of rotation of the receiver and are of a width somewhat greater than the width of the fingers 40 of a fly designated generally by the reference numeral 41, see Fig. 8. The fly 41 is pivoted on a horizontal axis 42 and is fixed with respect to the support 21, being preferably pivoted thereto. In this form of the invention, the elasticmember which is coiled about the axle 42 in a manner'similar to that shown in Fig. 1, tends to hold the fly normally in a position that the receiving surfaces 36, as they approach the collector support, will pass over the fingers 40 of the fly. When the receiving surface assumes a position adjacent the collector support 22, the spaces 37 of the receiving surface will be adjacent the fingers of'the fly and at which time the 'fly is tripped so that the fingers will pass from under the surface and slice through the respective openings 37 to engage the slice, lift it from the receiving surface and deliver it to the collector support 22. Any suitable means-may be provided for thus operating the fly. A simple and efficient means for accomplishing this result comprises "a cam designated generallyby the reference numeral 43 in Fig. 5, secured to the axle 44: of the receiver. This cam is provided with two high portions 45 having intermediate low portions-46. An arm 47 is pivoted intermediate its end as at 48 to a fixed support and is arranged so that one extremity 49 will be in a position to be acted upon by the high portions 45 of the cam. The other e22- tremity of the arm is connected in any suitable manner as by means of a link 50 with an arm 51 on the fly. Thus it will be seen that when the receiver 12 is rotated, the cam 43 will be correspondingly rotated and the high portions 45 of the cam are so arranged that when one of the receiving surfaces 36 assumes the proper position with respect to the fingers of the fly, and the collector support 22, one of the high portions of the cam will act on the arm 47 to trip the fly,'and the low porthe manner the desired results may be accomplished, it is to be understood that various changes may be made within the scope of the claims in the construction and arrangement ofv the various parts, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

\Vhat is claimed as new is 1. The combination of a meat slicer, a receiver movable adjacent the slicer for receiving the slices therefrom and traveling in a circular path, means for imparting motion to the receiver, a collector support, and means connected with the support and with respect to which last recited means the receiver is movable, for supporting and transferring the slices from the receiver to the collector support.

2. The combination of a meat slicer, a receiver movable adjacent the slicer for re ceiving the slices therefrom and traveling ,in a circular path, said receiver having a constant direction of rotation, means for imparting motion to the receiver, a collector support, means connected .with the support and with respect to which last recited means the receiver is movable, for transferring the slices from the receiver to the collector support, and means for intermittently actuating the said transferring means.

3. The combination of a meat slicer, a receiver movable adjacent the slicer for receiving the slices therefrom and traveling in a circular path, means for imparting motion to the receiver, a collector support,

meansconnected with the support and with respect to which last recited means the receiver is movable whereby the slice will be carried by the receiver into a position to be engaged by the last said'means, and means controlled by the movement of the receiver for actuating the last recited means to transfer the slices from the receiver to the col- I lector support.

4:. The combination of a meat slicer, a receiver movable adjacent the slicer for receiving the slices therefrom and. traveling in a circular path, means for imparting such movement to the receiver, a collector support, and ail-intermittently actuated fly operating to support and lift the slices from the receiver and deliver them to the collector support, said fly being separate from the receiver and connected with the collector support, and being adapted to assume such a position with respect to the slice engaging surface of the receiver that the movement of the receiver will position the slice to be engaged by the fly;

5. The combination of a meat slicer, a receiver movable adjacent the slicer for receiving the slices therefrom as they are cut, said receiver traveling-in a circular path, means for imparting such movement to the receiver, a collector support for the slices, and means separate from the receiver and movable across the path of movement'of the shoe engaging surface of the receiver for taking the slices from the receiver and de: livering them to the collector support.

6. The combination of a meat slicer, a receiver movable adjacent the slicerfor receiving the slices therefromas they are cut, said receiver traveling in a circular path, a collector support, and a fly operating between the receiver and the collector support, said fly being independent of the receiver and arranged adjacent the path of movement of the slice engagings'urface of the receiver and movable in one direction across the said path to assume a position to oneside of the approaching slice, and in another direction to lift and transfer the slice from the receiver to the collector support.

7. The combination of a meat slicer, a re ceiver movable adjacent the slicer for receiving the slices' therefrom as they are cut, said receiver traveling in a circular path, a collector support, a fly operating between the receiver and the collector support, said fly being independent of the receiver and arranged adjacent the path of movement of the slice engaging surface of the receiver, and movable in one direction across the said path to assume a position to one side of the approaching slice, and in another direction to lift and transfer the slice from the receiver to the collector support, and means whereby the movement of the receiver will intermittently actuate the fly.

8. The combination of a meat slicer, a receiver rotatable in a circular path and having an upright surface movable adjacent the a collector support, and means for transferring the slices from the said surface to the collector support, the said means embodying a fly connected with the support and with relation to which fly the said receiver is rotatable. and tripping means for the fly operating with the receiver.

9. The combination of a meat slicer, a receiver traveling in a circular path and shaped to form spaced slice engaging portions, a collector support for the slices, and a fly independent of the receiver for transferring the slices from the receiver to the collector support, said fly connected with the support and operating transversely of the path of movement of the said portions and having spaced members movable into and out of the spaces between the slice engaging portions of the said receiver.

10. The combination of a meat slicer, a receiver traveling in a circular path and shaped to form spaced slice engaging portions, a collector support for the slices, a

- fly independent of the receiver for transferring the slices from the receiver to the collector support, said fly connected with the support and operating transversely of the path of movement of the said portions and havingv spaced members movable into and out of thespaces between the slice engaging portions of the'said receiver, and means i whereby the movement of the said receiver will thus actuate the fly. I

11. The combination of a meatshcer, a receiver movable in a circular path ad acent the slicer and about an upright axis, said receiver having an. upright slice engaging surface, a support adjacent the path of movement of the receiver, and a fly with re spect to which the said surface is rotatable, said fly connected with the support and operating between the support and receiver and movable across the path of movement given to the slices'by the receiver, to transfer the slice from the receiver to the support, said fly being adapted to assume a 'position between the slice engaging surface and the axisof rotation of the said surface.

12. The combination of a meat slicer, a receiver movable in a circular path adj aoent the slicer and about an upright axis, said receiver having an upright slice engaging surface, a support adjacent the path of movement of the receiver, a fly with respect to which the said surface is rotatable, said fiy connected with the support and operating between the support and receiver and movable across the path of movement given 13. The combinationof a meat slicer, a receiver movable in a circular path ad acent the slicer and about an upright axis, said receiver having an uprightslice engagingsurface, a support adjacent the path of movement of the receiver, and a fly fixed adjacent said path of movement of the re-,'

ceiver and with respect to which fly the said surface is rotatable, said fly operating between the support and receiver and movable across the path of movement given to the slices by thereceiver, to transfer the slice from the receiver to the support, said fly being adapted to assume a position between the .slice engagingsurface and the axis of rotation of the said surface, the said table, said fly' being movable across the path of movement given to the slices by the receiver, for delivering the slices to the support from the receiver, and means for callsing the fly to be moved into a position. that it will pass under the approaching slices and while the slices are still carried by the receiver. I

15, The combination of" a meat slicer, a receiver movable adjacent the slicer and in a circular path about an upright axis for r'eceivingthe slices as they are cut, a support, a fly independent of the receiver and with respect to which the receiver is rotatable, said fly being movable across the path port from the receiver, means for causing the fly to be moved into a position that it will pass under the approaching slices and while the slices are still carried by the receiver, and means for tripping the fly to lift the slices from *the'receiver and stack them upon the support. v

16. The combination of a meat slicer, a traveling receiver adjacent the cutter for receiving the slices therefrom, a fly cooperating with the receiver, and a support to which the slices are delivered by the fly as they are taken from the receiver, the said fly being connected to the support and with respect to which fly the receiver'is movable. 4

17. The combination of a/slicer, ar eceiver bodily movable adjacent the slicerpf oi receiving the slices therefrom, means for imparting -motion to the receiver, acollector support,

and means connected with the support and w1th respect ta which last recited means the receiver is movable, for supporting and transferring the slices from the-receiver to the collector support.

18. The combination of a slicer, a receiver movable adjacent the slicer for receiving the slices therefrom, means for imparting motion to the receiver, a ,cOllector support,

means independent of the receiver and connected with the support and with relation to which means the receiver is movable, the

a said means being responsive in its movement to the movement of the receiver and operating to transfer the slices from the receiver to the support.

19. The-combination of a slicer, a receiver movable adjacent the slicer for receiving the slices therefrom, means for imparting me tion to the receiver, a collector support, means independent of the receiver and connected with the support and with relation .to which means the receiver is movable, the

said means being responsive in its movement to the movement of the receiver and operating to pass beneath the slice as it is ad-' vanced by the receiver to lift the slice fromthe receiver to the support.

20. The combination of a slicer, a receiver movable adjacent the slicer for receiving the slices therefrom, means for imparting motion to-the receiver, a collector support, and means supported independent of the receiver and connected with the support for transferring the slices from the receiver to the support, the last recited means being movable into and out of active position with respect to the receiver and being responsive in its movement to the action'of the receiver.

21. The combination of a slicer, a receiver movable adjacent the slicer for receiving the slices therefrom, means for imparting motion to the receiver, a collector support, and means connected with the support and with respect to which last recited meansthe re ceiver is movable, for supporting and transferring the slices from the receiver to the collector support,,the said receiver having a constant direction of movement.-

22. The combination of a slicer, a receiver movable adjacent theslicer for receiving the slices therefrom, means for imparting -motion to the receiver, a collector support, andmeans connected with the support and with respect to which last recited means the receiver is movable, for transferring the slices from the receiver to the collector support, the last recited means being movable back and forth across the path of movement of the receiver.

23. The combination of a slicer, a receiver movable adjacent the slicer for receiving the slices therefrom, means for imparting motion to the receiver, a collector support, and means connected with the support and with respect to which last recited means the receiver is movable, for transferring the slices from the receiver to the collector support, the said receiver being movable toward and away from the second recited means.

24. The combinationof a slicer, a receiver slices therefrom, means for imparting motion to the receiver, a collector support, and means connected vwith the support and with respect to which last recited means the receiver is movable, for transferring the slices from the receiver to the collector support, the said receiver having a constant direction of movement and being movable toward and away from the second recited means.

25. The combination-of a slicer, a receiver movable adjacent the slicer for receiving the slices therefrom, means for imparting motion to the'receiver, a collector support, and means connected with the support and with respect to which last recited means the receiver is bodily movable, the. said means operating to support and transfer the. slice from the receiver to the support.

26. The combination of a slicer, a receiver movable adjacent the slicer for receiving the slices therefrom, means for imparting motion to the receiver, a collector support, and means connected with the support and with respect to which last recited means the receiver is bodily movable, the said means operating to transfer the slice from the receiver to the support and being responsive in its movement to the movement of the receiver.

27. The combination of a slicer, a receiver movable adjacent the slicer for receiving the slices therefrom, means for imparting motion to the receiver, a collector support, and

.a fly connected with the support and with respect to which fly the receiver is bodily .movable, the said fly operating to transfer the slice from the receiver to the support,

slices from the receiver to the support, and

being responsive in its movement to the bodily movement of the receiver. 1

29. The combination of a slicer, a receiver movable adjacent theslicer for receiving the movable ad acent the sllcer for receiv ng the slices therefrom, means for imparting motion to the receiver, a collector support, and a fly connected with the support and with relation to which fly the receiver is bodily movable, said fly operating back and forth across the path of movement of the receiver to transfer the slices from the receiver to the support, and being responsive in its movement to the bodily movement of the receiver.

30. The combination of a slicer, a receiver movable adjacent the slicer for receiving the slices therefrom, means for imparting motion to the receiver, a collector support, a fly connected with the support and with relation to which fly the receiver is movable toward and away from, said fly being movable back and forth across the path of movement of the receiver for transferring the slices therefrom to the support, means for moving the fly in one direction and means for moving the fly in another direction.

31. The combination of a slicer, a receiver movable adjacent the slicer for receivingthe slices therefrom, means for imparting motion to the receiver, a collector support, a fly connected with the support and with relation to which fly the receiver is movable toward and away from, said fly being movable back and forth'across the path of movement of the receiver for transferring the slices therefrom to the support, means for moving the fly in one direction and means for moving the fly in another direction, one of the last two recited means being operatively connected with the receiver.

32. The combination of a slicer, a receiver movable adjacent the slicer for. receiving the slices therefrom, means for imparting motion to the receiver, a collector support, a fly connected with the support and with relation to which fly the receiver is movable toward and away from, said fly being movable back and forth across the path of movement of they receiver for transferring the slices therefrom to the support, means for moving the fly'in one direction and means for moving the fly in another direction, one of the last two recited means being operatively connected with the receiver.

33. The combination of a meat slicer, a receiver movable adjacent the slicer, for receiving the slices therefrom, means for imparting motion to the receiver, a collector support and a fly pivotally mounted upon the support and with respect towhich fly the I ort the said means bein res onsive in its movement to the movement of the receiver. 36. The combination of a slicer, a receiver movable adjacent thereto, a collector support, and a fly mounted upon the collector support for supporting and transferring the slices from the receiver to the collector support. r

37. The combination of a slicer, a receiver movable adjacent thereto, a collector support, and a. fly mounted upon the collector support for supporting and transferring the slices from the receiver to the collector support, the said fly being responsive in its .movement to the movement of the receiver.

38. The combination of a slicer, a collector.

support, a traveling receiver disposed between the two for receiving the slices from the slicer and means fixed with relation to the collector support for transferring the slices from the receiver to the collector support, said receiver also traveling with respect to the said means.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 16th day of October A. D. 1912.

EDWARD M. STILES.

Witnesses:

FRANK CoLoLoUon, 'l. H; STILES. 

